Sporulation of the “Thermophilic Anaerobes.”

A reasonable degree of synchrony in the sporulation of Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum 3814 was obtained by using three 10% transfers of 8-hr cultures in a medium containing 0.5% L-arabinose, 0.5% peptone, 0.5% yeast extract, and Gc minerals. Sporulation was stimulated by L-arabinose and L-xylose, but was repressed by glucose, mannose, fructose, and D-pentoses. Sporulating cells were long and thin, whereas repressed cells were shorter and thicker. The optimal pH for sporulation was in the range of pH 5.0 to 5.5. As sporulation continued, the accumulated acetate decreased. Label studies indicated that a significant amount of acetate-2-C¹⁴ was incorporated into the spore lipid. The calcium, phosphorus, and dipicolinic acid (DPA) concentrations on a dry weight basis were 2.55, 2.60, and 7.25%, respectively. The molar ratio of Ca-DPA was 1.47.     

Comparative Study of the Absorption,Plasma Levels,and Urinary Excretion of the “New” and the “Old” Lanoxin

A comparative study was performed of the absorption, the plasma level at equilibrium, and the urinary excretion of digoxin using two types of Lanoxin tablets, those produced before and after the 1972 alteration of the tablet manufacture.After a single dose the absorption rate of the new tablets was about twice as great as the old, both in young subjects and in the elderly patients. There were no significant differences in the plasma levels of digoxin for the two tablets 15 hours after the last administration in patients on an equal maintenance dose. The urinary excretion of digoxin increased about 40% when the “old” Lanoxin was replaced by the “new.” In elderly patients a daily dose of 0·125 mg twice daily of the new tablets should be sufficient to reach the therapeutic range. Young people need a higher dosage. If the kidney function is reduced by as much as 50% the dose should be reduced.     

Genetics of esterases in Drosophila. V. Characteristics of the “pupal” esterase in D. virilis

From analysis of the properties of the pupal esterase (p-esterase) in Drosophila virilis, it is concluded that it is heat stable, its electrophoretic detection depends on culture density, its expression is stage specific, and it is not a variant of esterase 2. It was also demonstrated that p-esterase, like esterase 6, is activated by injections of the juvenile hormone into larvae. Heat treatment of heat-resistant D. virilis stocks led to decreased activities of the juvenile hormone dependent esterases but did not affect those of the heat-sensitive stocks. It is suggested that heat resistance in D. virilis is related to some functional features of the system of modifier genes controlling the phenotypic expression of esterases.     

Ultrastructure of the “fringe-layer”, the innermost epidermis of cotton seed coats

Summary The inner epidermis of the inner integument of cotton seed coats (fringe-layer) and the cuticles between this cell layer and the nucellus were examined in the light and electron microscope at different times of their development. The cells of the fringe-layer contain only small vacuoles and their cytoplasm is densely packed with organelles and free and membrane-bound polysomes. The lateral walls contain many plasmodesmata. At the time when the fruit capsules stop growing, the fringe-cells produce a cell wall labyrinth, resembling that of transfer cells. The cell wall labyrinth is restricted to the lateral walls. The differentiated state of the fringe-cells is short-lived. At about the time of elaboration of the cell wall labyrinth most of them become progressively vacuolated, lignify, and lose their cytoplasmic constituents. The development of the fringe-layer is well correlated with other developmental events in the inner integument, but not with the filling of embryo and endosperm with reserve substances.At anthesis, the fringe-layer and nucellus are covered by a thin cuticle proper of about 20 nm. After anthesis, the nucellar cells start to produce a cuticular layer of considerable, but variable, thickness (0.25–2.5 m), containing a polysaccharide network.In drying seeds the cells of the fringe-layer disrupt. The thin outer tangential wall remains attached to the seed coat. The rest of the cell, together with the cuticles and the collapsed cells of the nucellus, form a protective layer around embryo and endosperm, remaining attached to the seed coat at the chalazal end.     

“In front of patients,I will always be a pupil.”Dr.Xiaoqian Zhang:the founder of the modern Chinese gastroenterology

Dr.Xiaoqian Zhang(张教骞,Hsiao-Chien Chang)was an outstanding clinician,therapist and medical educator,a member of the Academic Divisions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,he is considered to be the founder of the modern Chinese gastroenterology(PUMCH,1988).As a doctor,he made a systemic and deep research on human blood volume,gastric secretion function,peptic ulcer disease,gastric ulcer and gastric cancer,celiac tuberculosis,amoebic dysentery,ulcerative colitis and so on.He diagnosed and treated multiple intractable diseases.As an educator,he emphasized the training of clinical basic skills,urged students to grasp the utilization of science in study and work.He trained a large number of talents for Chinese medicine.     

The lobose amebas: II. A new ameba of the “Proteus” group,polychaos nitidubia N. Sp.

Summary A new ameba of the 'proteus group, Polychaos nitidubia n. sp., is found in lakes, ponds and streams of the State of Florida, United States of America. It resembles both Polychaos dubia (A. A. Schaeffer, 1916) and Amoeba nitida E. Penard, 1902, in certain respects, but it is distinct from either. It resembles P. dubia in its pseudopodal forms and movements and also in the presence of clumped crystals in the cytoplasm. It resembles A. nitida in the form of the nucleus, which is a cup-shaped disc or an invaginated spheriod. It is smaller than A. nitida, but somewhat larger than P. dubia. Polychaos nitidubia n. sp. is found in habitats similar to those where Amoeba proteus and other species of the proteus group occur, and may be present with such species. P. nitidubia n. sp. is 200 to 550 µ long in locomotion; its nucleus is 27 to 35 µ diameter with many submembranellar chromatin granules, but no endosome; cytoplasmic granules are numerous, often in fused groups of 2 to 4 crystals, cytoplasm is clear, viscous; movement is less fluid than that of P. dubia, but resembles it.Resume Une nouvelle amibe du groupe proteus, Polychaos nitidubia spec. nov. a été trouvée dans des lacs, des étangs et des ruisseaux de l'Etat de Florida aux Etats Unis de l'Amerique. Elle ressemble tant à la Polychaos dubia (A. A. Schaeffer, 1916) et à la Amoeba nitida E. Penard, 1902, à certaines égards et en difère à d'autres. Elle ressemble à la Polychaos dubia par rapport à la forme des pseudopodes et leurs mouvements, et aussi par rapport à la présence en cytoplasme des cristaux en groupes. Elle ressemble A. nitida par rapport à la forme du noyau, qui est discoide en forme de tasse, ou spheroide invaginé. C'est une amibe plus petite que l'A. nitida, mais plus grande que P. dubia. La Polychaos nitidubia spec. nov. se trouve dans des habitats pareils à ceux de l'Amoeba proteus et des autres et elle se trouve parfois en même lieu. La Polychaos nitidubia spec. nov. est 200 à 500 µ de long durant la locomotion. Son noyau est de 27 à 35 µ de diamètre, avec de nornbreuses granules chromatines sousmembranelles. L'endosoma est absent. Les cristaux du cytoplasme sont nombreux, dans des groupes de 2 à 4, ou solitaires. Le cytoplasme est claire, visqueux. Le mouvernent est moins coulant que celui de la P. dubia, mais y ressemble.     

To the knowledge of the fauna of Microlepidoptera (Lepidoptera) of the “Curonian Spit” National Park. II

A list of 243 Microlepidoptera species found in the territory of the Curonian Spit (both in its Russian and Lithuanian parts), in addition to that in the first part of the present publication (Sinev and Shapoval, 2013), is given: Gelechiidae (33), Tortricidae (138), and Crambidae (72 species). 142 species have been collected in the territory of the “Kurshskaya Kosa” National Park, including 49 species new to the Curonian Spit, 30 species new to Kaliningrad Province and 3 species (Scrobipalpa obsoletella, Scrobipalpa pauperella, and Catoptria osthelderi) new to the fauna of Russia.     

Mobile DNA distributions refine the phylogeny of “matsutake” mushrooms, Tricholoma sect. Caligata

“Matsutake” mushrooms are formed by several species of Tricholoma sect. Caligata distributed across the northern hemisphere. A phylogenetic analysis of matsutake based on virtually neutral mutations in DNA sequences resolved robust relationships among Tricholoma anatolicum, Tricholoma bakamatsutake, Tricholoma magnivelare, Tricholoma matsutake, and Tricholoma sp. from Mexico (=Tricholoma sp. Mex). However, relationships among these matsutake and other species, such as Tricholoma caligatum and Tricholoma fulvocastaneum, were ambiguous. We, therefore, analyzed genomic copy numbers of σ _marY1 , marY1, and marY2N retrotransposons by comparing them with the single-copy mobile DNA megB1 using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to clarify matsutake phylogeny. We also examined types of megB1-associated domains, composed of a number of poly (A) and poly (T) reminiscent of RNA-derived DNA elements among these species. Both datasets resolved two distinct groups, one composed of T. bakamatsutake, T. fulvocastaneum, and T. caligatum that could have diverged earlier and the other comprising T. magnivelare, Tricholoma sp. Mex, T. anatolicum, and T. matsutake that could have evolved later. In the first group, T. caligatum was the closest to the second group, followed by T. fulvocastaneum and T. bakamatsutake. Within the second group, T. magnivelare was clearly differentiated from the other species. The data suggest that matsutake underwent substantial evolution between the first group, mostly composed of Fagaceae symbionts, and the second group, comprised only of Pinaceae symbionts, but diverged little within each groups. Mobile DNA markers could be useful in resolving difficult phylogenies due to, for example, closely spaced speciation events.     

A biographical sketch of Charles F. Yocum: “It's the biochemistry, stupid”

Charles F. Yocum has been a leader in the applications of biochemical techniques to the resolution and reconstitution of Photosystem II. His formal science education began as an undergraduate in biochemistry at Iowa State University and continued with graduate work in photosynthesis, first at the Illinois Institute of Technology and later at Indiana University. Following postdoctoral work at Cornell University, he joined the faculty of the University of Michigan where he has remained throughout his academic career. Charlie's contributions to a biochemical understanding of photosynthesis, particularly Photosystem II have been considerable, but most notably include his initial isolation of the first highly active oxygen-evolving particle from higher plant chloroplasts, the well-known and widely utilized `BBY particles'. In the aftermath of that isolation, Charlie's research further resolved these particles into ever finer and simpler, but active, Photosystem II complexes. In addition, Charlie's research has provided significant insight into the roles of both Cl⁻ and Ca²⁺ as required cofactors in photosynthetic oxygen evolution. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The myth of “minima” and “maxima”, the species of Physalis in the Indian Subcontinent

The status of the names, Physalis minima L. and P. maxima Mill. (Solanaceae), and their alleged presence on the Indian subcontinent are discussed. The issues of nativity and identity of Linnaean Physalis minima are long-debated while the use of the name P. maxima Mill. and its report from India are recent. The available evidence indicates that the name “P. minima L.” is misapplied to two different elements, viz., P. angulata L. and P. lagascae Roem. & Schult. The name Physalis minima L. may be rejected as nomen confusum, for which the paper provides the primary information. As on today, it is submerged under the synonymy of P. angulata L. The correct name for the widely known P. minima is P. lagascae. The name “P. maxima Mill.” applied to the escape and naturalized weed in the Indian subcontinent and elsewhere is to be substituted by P. pruinosa L., a name misapplied to P. grisea (Waterf.) M. Martínez.     

Electrophysiological and behavioural responses of the housefly to “sweet” volatiles of the flowers of Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E. Br.

In sapromyiophilous plants, up to date, long range attraction of fly pollinators has been thoroughly investigated and attributed to “fetid” floral compounds, while the “sweet” floral scent fraction has not been specifically investigated and its role has received little attention. The aim of the present study was to verify if terpenoids, which are the main compounds of the floral bouquet of Caralluma europaea, play a role in the attraction of its pollinator Musca domestica. Terpinolene, α-terpinene and linalool, described as the three main volatiles of the flowers of C. europaea, were evaluated in electrophysiological investigations and blends of these compounds as well as the whole fresh flowers were used in behavioural assays. Antennae of housefly adults showed positive dose-dependent responses to all the chemicals tested. Houseflies were attracted by the odour of the fresh flowers and by the reconstructed terpenoid blend at the dose of 100 μg. At the dose of 10 μg, the blend did not produce any attraction. The results of the present study support the hypothesis that terpinolene, α-terpinene and linalool emitted by C. europaea flowers are involved in pollinator attraction and demonstrate the importance of the “sweet” scent in this sapromyiophilous species.     

The myth of “minima” and “maxima”, the species of Physalis in the Indian Subcontinent

The status of the names, Physalis minima L. and P. maxima Mill. (Solanaceae), and their alleged presence on the Indian subcontinent are discussed. The issues of nativity and identity of Linnaean Physalis minima are long-debated while the use of the name P. maxima Mill. and its report from India are recent. The available evidence indicates that the name "P. minima L." is misapplied to two different elements, viz., P. angulata L. and P. lagascae Roem. & Schult. The name Physalis minima L. may be rejected as nomen confusum, for which the paper provides the primary information. As on today, it is submerged under the synonymy of P. angulata L. The correct name for the widely known P. minima is P. lagascae. The name "P. maxima Mill." applied to the escape and naturalized weed in the Indian subcontinent and elsewhere is to be substituted by P. pruinosa L., a name misapplied to P. grisea (Waterf.) M. Martínez.     

A taxonomic revision of Tyrini of the Oriental?region. V. Revision of the genus Lasinus Sharp, 1874 (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae)

The genus Lasinus Sharp, 1874 of the Pselaphodes complex of genera (Pselaphitae: Tyrini: Tyrina) is revised. The three so far known species, Lasinus mandarinus Raffray, 1890, Lasinus monticola Sawada, 1961 and Lasinus spinosus Sharp, 1874 are redescribed. Eight new species, Lasinus sinicus sp. n. from China, Lasinus mikado sp. n., Lasinus yamamotoi sp. n., Lasinus inexpectatus sp. n., Lasinus yakushimanus sp. n., Lasinus amamianus sp. n., Lasinus saoriae sp. n., and Lasinus okinawanus sp. n. from Japan, are described. And all species are illustrated. Lectotypes are designated for Lasinus mandarinus and Lasinus spinosus. An identification key to species of the genus Lasinus is provided.     

Analysis of the potential fungal biodeteriogen effects in the “Doctorate Library” of the University of Perugia,Italy

Historical collections held in ancient archives and libraries constitute a cultural and artistic heritage of inestimable value. These collections contain a series of organic materials which may alter and perish in time, especially if they are conserved in inadequate environmental conditions and without any specific precautionary devices to protect them from damage caused by chemical, biological and physical factors. It is essential to prevent ‘at risk’ situations to conserve library and archive heritage. Early detection of fungal spores and moulds in conservation environments will permit us to intervene at the infection site at the right moment and also to detect the micro‐environments where climatic parameters are not suitable for conservation purposes.

The aim of this study is to examine potentially biodeteriogen fungal micro‐flora in the environment of the “Doctorate Library”, one of the most important buildings of the University of Perugia, which contains frescos and library collection of great value. The study was carried out through quantitative and qualitative analysis of airborne fungal species and through the evaluation of viable aerobiological particles as potential agents of biodeterioration. The airspore monitoring was made using the active method (by Personal Volumetric Air Sampler Spore Trap, Burkard Company Ltd.) and the passive one (by sedimentation technique on Petri dishes). The results obtained by both methods allowed us to detect numerous potentially biodeteriogen species, to determine their quantity and influence and to evaluate the levels of their variability in time.